CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to the Department of Parks and Recreation; authorizing the acquisition of real property commonly known as the 17th Ave South & South Walker Street, Seattle, Washington; authorizing acceptance of a recording of the deed for open space, park, and recreation purposes; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, Seattle Parks and Recreation's ("SPR") 2024 Park and Open Space Plan used race, equity and health, poverty and income, and population density mapping, among other criteria, to help identify priority areas for the Long-Term Acquisition Strategy; and
WHEREAS, the 2024 Park and Open Space Plan identified both the North Beacon Hill Residential Urban Village (RUV) and the North Rainier Hub Urban Village (HUV), sometimes referred to as the Mt. Baker HUV, as having a park walking distance service gap, defined as a lack of parks within a five-minute walking distance, coupled with high levels of poverty, obesity, diabetes, and lack of physical activity, based on socioeconomic data correlated with health data; and
WHEREAS, in 2022 a group of residents in the North Beacon Hill area contacted the Mayor and requested this property be acquired to preserve the last block of natural tree canopy in the immediate neighborhood and to serve as a neighborhood park; and
WHEREAS, at approximately 60,000 square feet - plus a 4,000-square-foot alley for which SPR will request transfer from the Seattle Department of Transportation - the entire proposed future park site exceeds the 10,000-square-foot minimum size to meet walking distance criteria intended to fill the service gap and support programming to address the existing equity and health disparities; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation ("Superintendent"), or the Superintendent's designee, is authorized, on behalf of Th...
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